Plato's Republic I: On Justice, Truth, and Wisdom
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Plato’s Republic is one of the most foundational texts in the western canon. To help us unpack why that is, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: What was Socrates’ goal in this very long conversation with his students How does the individual fit into Socrates’ “city in speech”? What is the role of knowledge in the pursuit of the good and the true? Recommended Reading: Plato. . Trans. Allan Bloom. New York: Basic Books, 1968.
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Intro to Philosophy: Its Birth in Athens
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Athens’ contributions to the development of the west would be vastly incomplete without its invention of philosophy. Today, Rabbi Rocklin will walk us through the following questions: What is philosophy and why did it develop as a discipline? Is there any truth to the notion that philosophy is necessarily sacrilegious What made Socrates different than the philosophers who came before him such that Socrates is considered the father of philosophy?
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A Lasting Legacy: Greek Poetry and Drama
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The grandeur of Greek thought is captured in the heart of Greek tragedy. On today’s episode, we’lll explore the following questions: To the Greek, what was the purpose of poetry? What was its relationship to prophecy How does Greek drama develop from poetry? What makes Greek tragedy so compelling that it lives on to today?
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Thucydides: The History of the Peloponnesian Wars
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Thucydides takes one step beyond Herodotus in his approach to history. As we read his account of the Peloponnesian Wars, we’ll address the following questions: What is the difference between Thucydides’ tragic perspective of the Peloponnesian Wars and the Homerian tragedy? How does Thucydides’ description of Athenian devotion to the polis highlight a fundamental difference between Greeks and Jews? According to Thucydides in his recounting of Pericles’ funeral oration, why should the Greek choose to do the right thing? Recommended Reading: Thucydides. . Translated and edited by Paul...
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Fifth-Century Athens: A Time of War and Culture
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Not even the Peloponnesian Wars could stop the continued development of culture in Athens. On today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin will walk us through the following questions: Why did Athens and Sparta start warring with each other? How did fifth-century Athens cultivate Greek thought so that the spirit of inquiry became the hallmark of Greek intellectuals? What made Thucydides different from Herodotus if they were both historians?
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Herodotus: The Greek Invention of History
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Herodotus is sometimes called the “father of history,” because he fundamentally changed the way humanity viewed its own story. As we read Herodotus, we’ll uncover answers to the following questions: Why did Herodotus decide to write history? What made it different than other stories that had been written until then? How does Herodotus’ including the Persian perspective reflect a particularly Greek way of thinking? What does it mean when we say that the Greek culture is concerned with culture? Recommended Reading: Herodotus. . Trans. Aubrey de Sélincourt. New York: Penguin...
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Clash of Empires: Greek Politics and the Persian Wars
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The rivalry between Athens and Sparta is one that has ignited minds and passions for generations. Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: Why would the Greeks have experimented with different types of government? How did Athens resolve the tension between loyalty to the family and loyalty to the state? What were the Persian Wars and how did they lead to the rise of Athens?
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Persia in its Prime: A History of the Early Persian Empire and the Jews
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The Persian Empire dominated the Ancient Near East, affecting Jews and gentiles alike. Today, we’ll explore the following questions: How did the mighty Persian Empire come to be? Why did the Persian Empire have multiple capital cities? How is Persia and Persian culture affected by Alexander’s conquest of the empire?
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The Odyssey: The Curious Case of Odysseus
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
The gods and fate continue to control mankind, but The Odyssey will now add a third element: human folly. Together, we’ll answer the following questions: Why would Odysseus have chosen to go home instead of possibly becoming immortal? What role does Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, play in bringing Odysseus home? How does Odysseus model a different version of Greek heroism than Achilles and Hector? Recommended Reading: Homer. . Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1996.
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The Iliad II: An Epic for the Ages
The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind
Rage, honor, and fate continue to drive The Iliad to its ultimate, tragic end. As we read, we’ll explore the following questions: What is it about beauty that would have made the Greeks go to war over a beautiful woman? How does The Iliad highlight the values of the Greek gods that the heros then personify? How does Homer attempt to resolve the conflict between loyalty to the family and loyalty to the city? Recommended Reading: Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1990.
info_outlineIn today’s episode, Rabbi Rocklin examines the concept of "culture" and its relationship to religion. Together we'll explore:
- What does the word "culture" mean, such that we use it with regards to both bacteria and humans?
- How does the busyness of civilized man impact his relationship to religion?
- What unique concept is found within Judaism that was essential to the development of the West?